


If you ask me, I will tumble

by sarahcakes613



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Love Confessions, M/M, Requited Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:42:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29609604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahcakes613/pseuds/sarahcakes613
Summary: On October 22, 2018, Roman announces his leukemia has returned. Backstage, Seth watches, his heart breaking.
Relationships: Roman Reigns/Seth Rollins | Tyler Black
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23





	If you ask me, I will tumble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lady_sb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_sb/gifts).



> Hello everyone! I've been in the fandom for uhhh *counts fingers* eleven days and I've already devoured a ton of Shield fic and this idea entered my brain and would. not. leave. This might honestly be my fastest turnaround for joining a new fandom and writing a story ever.

_“My real name is Joe, and I’ve been living with leukemia for eleven years. And unfortunately, it’s back.”_

The crowds fall silent, but watching Roman on the monitor from backstage, all Seth hears is the blood pounding in his own ears as Roman gives his speech.

He doesn’t realize he’s frozen still until a hand lands on his shoulder, startling him into movement. He turns to see Dean staring at him. Dean’s eyes search his and he nods as he finds an answer to his unspoken question in Seth's gaze.

“Yeah,” Dean says hoarsely. “Me neither.”

Seth’s jaw clenches. Roman, the man who’s always been the most painfully honest of the three of them, holding this secret for the entire six years they’ve known each other.

Dean nudges him as Roman sets the microphone down, his speech finished.

“Come on,” he says gruffly, “Big uce needs us.”

Seth follows him as he walks down the corridor towards the ramp. His eyes are burning and he keeps his gaze on Dean’s legs, using them as a focal point so he doesn’t collapse the way he feels like he’s about to.

The entire stadium is clapping and cheering for Roman, and Seth claps as he walks out, the sound of his hands slapping together feels as hollow as his heart. Roman’s arms open to embrace them both and Seth wraps both of his arms around Roman, not even caring that he’s leaving Dean out. Dean’s hand comes up to cup his head, turning his face in so the cameras don’t catch the tears streaming down his face.

The hug doesn’t last nearly long enough before they have to separate and lead Roman offstage. He turns back to wave to the crowds one last time, and Seth takes the moment to rub his eyes, trying to knuckle away the tears and wishing he could wipe away his emotions in the same way.

Once backstage, Roman is swamped by friends, all of them in disbelief and surrounding him with their well-wishes. Seth slips away and heads for the locker room. He still has a tag team match to get ready for, and he can’t do that if his head’s not in the game.

He slumps down on the bench in front of his locker and puts his head in his hands. One good thing about it, he thinks bitterly, it will make it that much easier to bring forth the shock of betrayal he’s going to need to express when Dean turns on him after the tag match. At least he knows that one’s coming.

The door slams open and clangs shut as Dean stalks in.

“Thought I’d find you here,” he says.

Seth stares at him but he might as well be looking right through him for all that he’s actually paying attention to whatever Dean is saying.

“Your head on straight?” Dean asks, and he laughs dully.

“Why would it, not like the rest of me is,” he says, but the joke falls flat. Dean sighs and sits down next to him. He wraps his arm around Seth’s shoulders and Seth lets himself fall into the other man’s chest.

“How long have I been after you to tell him how you feel?” Dean asks.

Seth huffs. “About as long as I’ve been telling you I can’t.” He mumbles.

“Seth, brother, you can’t keep this shit bottled up. He deserves to know. If only because – fuck, man, we just don’t know...” His voice cracks, and Seth pulls back.

“No, don’t you fucking go there,” he shakes his head. “Don’t even breathe that into the universe, man. He’s going to be fine. He’s going to beat this and he’s going to come back and reclaim his title, and he’s _going to be fine_.”

He jumps up, kicks his locker, and then stands there, fists clenched as he breathes heavily.

Dean falls silent and then stands as well. “We should get back out there.” He says. “We’re up soon.”

He leaves Seth to his thoughts, which twirl and coil in his brain.

When their tag team match is over, he limps back to the locker room for the second time. He finds Dean already there, getting changed out of his tac pants.

“You wanna grab a bite?” Dean asks. Seth stares at him, sitting there in his boxers and tank, jeans halfway up his legs.

“I’m not hungry,” he finally says.

Dean rolls his eyes. “So you’ll watch me eat. Come on, I’m not letting you go back to the hotel to wallow alone.”

He grudgingly acknowledges that Dean’s got a point. Left on his own, he’ll go back to his room and rewatch tonight’s show and obsess about the things he’s left unsaid. He follows Dean out of the stadium and sits quietly in his passenger seat as they drive out and eventually turn into a drive-thru.

Dean doesn’t bother asking what he wants, just orders two burrito bowls with all the toppings. Seth shifts as if to say something and Dean adds a request for extra avocado on one.

“Thanks,” Seth says quietly. Dean nods as the car pulls forward to pay and receive their food.

Back at the hotel, Dean follows Seth into his room, shoving him down on the couch and setting his food down in front of him.

“Eat,” he says. He tosses the remote control onto the coffee table next to the food. “And find one of your nerdy movies.”

Seth clicks through the cable menu until he finds a Jurassic Park marathon, and Dean grunts in appreciation. They watch in silence while they eat, and Seth appreciates Dean’s clumsy attempt at distracting him. It mostly works, until Dean has to go and ruin it.

“So,” he says, balling up his napkin and tossing it into his empty bowl. “Where’s your head at?”

Seth doesn’t look at him, just picks aimlessly at the last bits of rice in his own bowl. Dean sighs and picks up his phone.

“I didn’t want to have to do this,” he warns.

Seth watches him out of the corner of his eye as he taps on his phone for a minute. “Do what?” He asks.

Dean tucks his phone into his pocket and rises. “I’m going back to my room,” he says. “Stay here.”

“Do what, Ambrose?” He asks again, his voice rising in pitch.

There’s a quiet knock on the door and Dean walks over to open it. Seth hears low voices and the food he’s just eaten sits heavy in his stomach as he recognizes the smooth rumble of the man talking to Dean.

Dean doesn’t bother saying goodbye to Seth, and Seth doesn’t watch him leave, just stares at the television, pretending he gives two fucks about William H. Macy’s missing kid.

“Hey, lil’ brother.” Roman’s voice is soft as he sits down next to Seth.

Seth rolls his shoulders and cracks his neck to buy himself a few precious seconds to collect himself. When he speaks, he’s both surprised and relieved that his voice doesn’t break.

“What are you doing here?” He asks. He chances a glance over to Roman, letting his hair fall in front of his face to hide his gaze.

Roman shrugs. “I’m not sure, honestly. Dean texted me and said you wanted to talk.”

Fuckin’ Ambrose. Seth is going to fucking kick his ass for this.

“You didn’t –” Seth clears his throat. “Way to give us the head’s up about today, uce.” It’s not what he wants to say, but it’s still hurting, a small pebble rattling around in his lungs when he tries to breathe.

Roman grimaces. “I’m sorry,” he offers, “I wanted to. You have to know I wanted to.”

“Then why didn’t you?” He asks. “I mean, come on Rome, at any point in the past six years?!”

“It didn’t seem relevant when I was in remission,” Roman says. He’s hunched forward awkwardly, like he’s trying to minimize his bulk. It’s not a look Seth is used to seeing on his friend.

“And then tonight, I wanted to tell you first. Backstage, just you and Dean,” he continues. “But you know how they get over at Creative. They wanted honest reactions.”

“Yeah,” Seth’s laugh is brittle. “Well, I honestly wanted to punch you in your perfect mouth for lying to me.”

“You?” Roman asks.

“Us,” he corrects. “Me n’ Dean.”

“I’m sorry,” Roman says again. “Is that what you wanted to talk about?”

He could say yes. He should say yes. If he says yes, if he says all is forgiven, they can go back to normal and Seth can be just another friend in Roman’s corner.

Seth doesn’t want to be just another friend.

“No,” he admits. He turns, bringing one leg up to tuck under the other so he can fully face Roman. Roman looks carefully at him, his face open and curious.

Seth takes a big breath. Once the words are out he will never be able to take them back.

“I didn’t mean us,” he says. “I meant me. Roman, I’m – shit,” he scrubs a hand over his face. The words are climbing up his throat, catching on his tongue.

“Hey,” Roman puts his hand on Seth’s knee. “Whatever you need to say, you say it. You know I love you.”

A near hysterical laugh slips out of Seth’s mouth. “Yeah,” he says. “I know. I love you too.”

“I know,” Roman nods.

“No, you don’t,” Seth’s laugh is tired now. “I’m fucking in love with you, man. I have been for a long time.”

Neither of them speaks for a long minute. Seth doesn’t want to breathe, doesn’t want to move, doesn’t want Roman to realize his hand is still on his knee. The weight of it is warm and comforting.

Roman does realize though, and he takes his hand away. Seth doesn’t have time to mourn the loss as it returns to rest on his shoulder. It doesn’t stay there though, Roman’s hand sliding up along his shoulder, up his neck, coming up to cup his face.

Roman’s thumb sweeps along his cheekbone and Seth leans into it.

“For a man who sees every move on the board, you’re missing an entire play, sweetheart.” Roman says with a sad smile. “I said, I know. I meant it.”

Roman looks at him and he stares back, his eyes searching Roman’s for answers to all the questions he cannot voice. Roman’s eyes are soft and understanding and Seth’s heart stutters in his chest as he finally allows himself a moment to hope.

“Hey Rome?” Seth says quietly. “I’m going to kiss you, okay?”

He scoots closer and leans up, putting his own hand on Roman’s cheek and drawing him down.

“Please,” Roman says as their lips touch.


End file.
